1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a locking arm.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art connector that has a locking arm formed integrally with the outer surface of the connector housing is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-112577. The locking arm of this prior art connector includes a base part that is erected from the outer surface of the connector housing. An arm part is cantilevered from the base part and extends along the outer surface of the connector housing. A locking projection is formed on the outer surface of the arm part, which is the surface that does not confront the outer surface of the connector housing. The connector can be fitted in a mating connector to achieve electrical connection. During this connection process, the locking projection interferes with a hood of the mating connector. As a result, the locking arm flexes elastically toward the outer surface of the connector housing. When both connectors are placed in the normal fit-in state, the locking arm is elastically restored to its original state, and the locking projection is locked to a locking hole in the hood. As a result, both connectors are locked to each other in the normal fit-in state.
Each prior art connector includes a connector housing that accommodates metal terminal fittings that are fixed to the ends of electric wires. A plurality of connectors with terminal fittings and wires is combined to produce a wire harness subassembly. Many of the wire harness subassemblies then are packed in a shipping case by piling them up one upon another for transport.
The prior art connector with a locking arm has a flexure space between the locking arm and the outer surface of the connector housing. The locking arm is cantilevered and extended over the connector housing, as explained above. Thus, there is a possibility that foreign matter will penetrate into the flexure space between the locking arm and the outer surface of the connector housing.
The wire harness subassemblies are taken out from the shipping case one by one in a place where they are assembled with other wires and connector housings to produce the wire harness. However, it is possible that an electric wire of another wire harness that is still in the shipping case may penetrate into the flexure space and may be caught by the locking arm. If the wire harness subassembly is to be forcibly taken out from the shipping case in this state, the locking arm of the connector caught by the electric wire is subjected to a force of forcibly displacing the locking arm in a direction away from the outer surface of the connector housing. Thus the locking arm tilts on the base part that acts as the supporting point.
In this event, in the conventional connector, there is a possibility that the locking arm is broken at its base part even if the displacement amount of the locking arm is not very great.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described situation. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of preventing a locking arm displaced away from a connector housing from being easily broken.